


Righting Wrongs

by Badassium1970



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, Regret, This is probably the only time I will acknowledge Barry leaving, rubberdoop, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 07:47:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14613192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badassium1970/pseuds/Badassium1970
Summary: Ross and Barry haven't really seen each other since Barry left, but when Ross' drawing tablet breaks he finds himself calling Barry.





	Righting Wrongs

Ross was about to throw his CINTIQ out the window. Okay, he wasn't because he loved it and didn't want to have to buy a new one but at the moment it was beginning to look like he'd have to. The thing kept malfunctioning and now it was stuck on a blank screen, mocking him. He was already having trouble getting into animating today and now he couldn't.

Ross continued pressing buttons and trying everything he could to get his tablet to work but it was to no avail. He checked the office to see if there was anyone who could help him but no many people were in, coming in later or not at all if it wasn't one of their work days, or if they had caught the sickness that was going around that Ross had gotten from a convention.

Ross wasn't sure why he decided that waiting for someone to come in would take too long, or why he didn't call someone else. He didn't think twice before calling Barry, he wasn't even sure he thought once. It was just instincts telling him that Barry could help him. Maybe it was just part of himself telling him that he missed Barry and needed to see him.

Ever since Barry had left Ross hadn't seen him that much. It was understandable, they were both busy people, but before Barry left things between them had gotten complicated. Their relationship was up in the air, neither of them really knowing what to do.

It was just before Barry had decided that he was going to be leaving. He knew it was the right choice, even if it was hard. As much as he loved the company he needed to move on and find his place in the world and work on his own projects. Ross hadn't known about Barry's plans. Maybe if he did he wouldn't have confessed. He'd just let his feelings dissolve over time, or at the very least, hope that they did. Ross told Barry that he loved him. He didn't expect Barry to say it back, or to see him as anything more than a friend but Barry claimed that he did.

"I'm sorry, I just... there's so much going on right now I can't-I can't handle a relationship."

Ross understood. They were both busy, maybe it was best to let things calm down so they could focus more on each other. He had been hopeful.

That lasted a few days.

Barry told everyone that he was leaving. There had been tears, but everyone understood and wished him well. Ross didn't know what to think. In the back of his mind he knew it wasn't true but part of him really thought that Barry had chosen to leave because of his feelings and that Barry was lying when he said he shared just so that Ross didn't feel bad. Still, he wished Barry good luck and tried to be supportive. Maybe he glared at Barry a few times that day, but he didn't cause a scene, and he definitely didn't cry.

Not until that night at least, where he was away from everyone.

It still stung.

Ross hadn't expected Barry to say yes to helping him. When he asked he figured that Barry would be busy or say that he was. Now he was waiting for him and reflecting on everything that happened.

How it still hurt.

How he was still mad.

How he still had feelings for Barry and wanted to see him again.

Needed to.

Even if they couldn't be together Ross missed his friend.

Walking into the Grump Space was hard for Barry.

Although there was no bad blood between him and his now ex-co-workers he had yet to return to the office. It felt too weird every time he thought about it, to the point where he just asked someone to meet up with him to give him something he'd forgotten or send it to him. Most of the time it was Dan who would visit to return his things because he didn't ask questions, like why he couldn't just come to the office. He guessed that due to living together for so long Dan just understood him better.

Part of Barry knew that the main reason he hadn't returned was that he wasn't sure he could leave again. By no means did that mean he wanted to return. He knew that it was for the best but leaving had been one of the hardest choices he ever had to make, especially when Ross confessed his feelings.

Barry had never meant to let friendship slip. It was never his intention to say no to Ross, and maybe he should have planned things better and waiting to announce his departure or told Ross then of his plans. There were so many things that he should have done differently. He was sure that Ross hated him now but him calling meant something.

He wasn't even sure why he agreed, he wasn't thinking and just said yes on autopilot, forgetting all his fears about seeing Ross again with no one else there. Barry knew that he missed Ross, but tried not to dwell on it, knowing that he had probably missed his chance. He figured that distance was the best thing for them, but now seeing Ross just felt right.

He swallowed his fears and walked up to the office, entering and stopping to say a quick hello to anyone that was around, explaining why he was there.

"Barry you don't have to explain yourself, you're always welcome here," Dan smiled as he hugged his friend. Barry hugged him back and tried to ignore the guilt that he still continued to feel. He knew that everyone supported his choice but he couldn't help but think that he had upset and hurt some of them, one person in particular.

Barry made his way through the rest of the office. Everything felt so familiar, yet different. He noticed small changes here and there, new art hung up, new items on people's desks, weird stains that hadn't been there before that he didn't know the stories behind. This had been his home, it still was in a way. Pictures of him with his friends were scattered around the room, fanart that featured him still hung on the wall, but he noticed new posters without him, pictures that were from after he left. He felt like he had moved out and was just visiting. Barry guessed that was what was happening. Still, he didn't regret his decision. He knew that it was time to leave the nest. He also knew that it was time to visit. Maybe now he had visited once he would do so more often, now that the awkwardness had faded.

He made his way to Ross' office, knocking on the door and waiting for permission to be let in. When it came he entered, any confidence he had gained leaving his body the minute he saw Ross.

It had been a while since they'd met up in person, longer since they had been alone together. Ross refused to meet Barry's eyes, afraid of getting too caught up in them like he always had. Instead he thanked Barry for coming and explained the problems he was having. Barry listened and then quickly got to work.

They didn't say anything at first. Neither knew what to say, or whether it was okay to say it. Ross wanted to ask Barry why, and Barry just wanted to apologise, but neither of them could make themselves.

Barry was the one to start talking. He had been swearing under his breath every now and again as he ran into new issues but other than that they had been silent.

"So how's it coming along?"

The question came so suddenly that it took a moment for Ross to process it.

"Oh uh, good, I feel like it's really getting somewhere now. Y'know, when this kind of shit isn't happening."

Barry chuckled, and Ross couldn't help but let out a laugh.

From there the conversation started to flow, mainly about work, Ross talking about how he'd met so many artists and how he was really happy with how the show was going along. Barry talked about how much he liked streaming and complained about the fact that he still wasn't partnered. He was itching to realise his video and couldn't, it was frustrating. This led them to a full-on discussion about how YouTube had changed.

"I'm not glad that it happened, but at the same time I think it made me put things into perspective and decide what I needed to make my priorities," Ross mused, then paused, realising that what he was talking about. The end of Steam Train and Grumpcade. The shows they did together. For a moment he felt guilty but then Barry smiled and said he understood.

About an hour passed before Barry managed to fix Ross' tablet. Ross kind of forgot that that was the reason why Barry was in his office. Everything had just felt normal, like they'd gone back a few months. It made him regret not reaching out to Barry sooner.

"Thanks," Ross smiled, but he felt a pang of sadness. He didn't want Barry to leave, knowing that he'd probably continue being a coward. There were so many more things he wanted to talk to Barry about him, so many things he wanted, needed to ask him. Now Barry was about to leave, saying that it was nothing and he would catch him later, but they both knew if he left things wouldn't change.

"I'm glad you came," Ross blurted out. He was still smiling but there was a clear sadness in his eyes. Ross thought that Barry would say no to helping him, he had been ready for it. Now Barry was here and he couldn't let him leave again. Leave the office sure, but not his life.

"I've missed you," Ross said through teary eyes. He was only just keeping them from falling.

Seeing Ross like this made Barry regret not calling or texting. It made him regret not telling Ross how much he loved him. He regretted not trying.

Without even thinking Barry made his way back to Ross, who now had tears streaming down his face. He wiped Ross' tears away.

"I'm sorry," Barry whispered.

"I'm so, so sorry," he continued, wrapping his arms around Ross.

"I love you," Barry continued, not caring if Ross didn't feel the same way anymore. He should have told Ross sooner, should have done so many things differently. Hopefully it wasn't too late to right some wrongs.

"I love you too," Ross whispered, his head buried in Barry's chest, making his t-shirt damp with tears. He wished that he wasn't crying, but god he hadn't realised how much he missed Barry until now. There was always that slight pain, that feeling that something was missing, but now that everything felt right he didn't want things to feel wrong again.

"I want to try us, I'd understand if you don't want to." Barry didn't expect Ross to want to enter a relationship with him after all of his, but Ross proved him wrong, kissing him.

The kiss started off slow but quickly became desperate and messy. Barry could feel his face growing wet and he wasn't sure if it was his own tears or Ross'.

Barry eventually had to leave. He had scheduled a stream, and Ross wasn't going to let him cancel.

"Just don't be a stranger," Ross joked, regretting it for a moment because of the slight fear in his voice that came through. Barry knew that things weren't going to be perfect at first, but he wasn't going to let them grow distant again.

"I won't," Barry promised, kissing Ross one last time before leaving. He made a quick note of when Ross would be in the office next, checking with Dan who congratulated him, so he could visit his boyfriend.

**Author's Note:**

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> Art: https://www.instagram.com/retro_roses/?hl=en


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